Quickly locating lost individuals is an on-going and increasingly complex problem. Statistics indicate that more people in the United States are living in metropolitan areas. In 1900, the Census Bureau reported that 3 cities had populations greater than one million. Between 1900 and 1950, that number rose to 5. The 2000 Census indicated, however, that the number of cities with a population over one million rose to a staggering 50. The concentration of people in given areas results in corresponding increases in the size of schools, neighborhoods, and retail establishments. These areas of higher population also have increased traffic and increased crime. Under these circumstances there is a greater risk of injury to a lost child. The likelihood of abduction also increases. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of kidnappings of children by a non-custodial parent.
Clearly, the category of persons at greatest risk is young children. Also at risk are impaired adults who require the attention of a custodian. Such impaired adults may be, for example, those who are mentally handicapped or who suffer from a disease, such as Alzheimer's, or a mental illness, such as schizophrenia. When a child or impaired adult becomes lost, i.e., the person's location is unknown to his or her custodian, it is imperative that the lost individual be located as quickly as possible.
Several systems for recovering lost individuals are known to the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,219 describes a system that assists in notifying a parent when a child becomes lost. The system utilizes a marker that is carried by the child. The system assigns an identification number to the child. That identification number, along with the phone number for a central station, is provided on an ID marker carried on the child's clothing. When a lost child is found, authorities can call the number and report the child's recovery to the central station. The central station uses the identification number to identify the child and to notify the child's parents. Utilizing this system, a child can be identified without disclosing the child's identity to the person who has located the child.
PCT Published Application No. WO 92/09080 describes an information-conveying device that can be worn by people or pets. The device records an audio message which conveys information about the person or pet. The person or pet wears the device on a belt, collar, or bracelet. If the person or pet becomes lost or injured, for example, the message can be replayed to convey vital identification or treatment information.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,875 discloses an identification system for use with children traveling as a group. The system includes an identification tag for each child, including the child's identification number and the group's identification number. The system also includes an information sheet for each child, including the child's identification number and biographical information about the child. A notebook is provided for storing the information sheets and the identification tags. Individual pockets are provided for each ID tag and information sheet. When traveling, the children's custodian distributes the ID tags to the children and carries the notebook containing the corresponding information sheets.
PCT Published Application No. WO 98/28908 describes a device or kiosk for capturing data to create an Avatar, or 3-dimensional shape, of a person. The device also measures the weight and captures the voice of the person. The device may be used, for example, to create an animation of the person based on the Avatar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,116 describes a telephone system for locating lost items. The system includes a card retained by the item owner and a tag attached to the item itself. When the item becomes lost, the owner calls a telephone number and opens a voice mailbox associated with the item's identification number. When the item is discovered, the locator calls the number provided on the item's tag and accesses the voice mailbox associated with the identification number, also provided on the tag, to leave a message for the owner that the lost item has been recovered.
JP 2000123090A2 (Abstract of Publication) describes a radio-based system for locating lost children. The system consists of a card which is read into the system and the information concerning the child is projected on the terminals at each sales counter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,203 B1 describes an email system for notifying individuals in a given geographic area when an individual becomes lost. When an individual is determined to be missing, the parent or guardian calls or electronically notifies the system and provides pertinent data about the missing individual. The system then determines a relevant geographic area and sends email notices to public and private institutions and individuals within that geographic area. The entities notified are selected from a pre-established database.
Although there are systems available to assist in the recovery of lost persons, improvements continue to be sought. In particular, a system is needed that facilitates the registration of at risk individuals and is better able to alert officials and by-standers in a given area to the existence of a lost individual.